MLB Expected to Delay Opening Day as League Shuts Down Operations Amid Coronavirus Panic
By Adam Weinrib
It appears the inevitable has come to fruition.
With two weeks to go before MLB's anticipated Opening Day, the league has instead followed earlier reports of Spring Training shuttering with the expected news that it's now a "formality" that the start of the season will be delayed.
After a conference call among owners this afternoon, Major League Baseball is expected to suspend spring training. The league likely will delay the beginning of the regular season as well. At this point, it's a formality that ownership-level sources expect to happen.
— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) March 12, 2020
MLB will also be shutting down operations in the interim.
Though many continue to deride the widespread panic that has ensued across the country, as the world works to contain a rapidly-spreading pandemic, an excess of caution is a necessity at this point.
David Price of the Los Angeles Dodgers summed things up succinctly as he arrived to camp on Thursday, prior to the news being released.
For anyone questioning MLB's potentially suspending spring training, I'll refer to David Price as he walked into the Dodgers' facility about an hour ago: "It's gotta happen. This is so much bigger than sports. I've got two kids."
— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) March 12, 2020
That feeling is shared by many, many in the game.
It will be difficult to adjust to a spring landscape without sports, but those in charge of the proceedings owe it to the fans not to endanger them needlessly. Athletes and young people who are symptom-less can easily serve as a conduit of infection for the elderly and less fortunate.
Now, it's time to stay safe. The game will be there to greet us when we're ready to return.